Hamilton routs Heuvelton to reach state softball semifinal

CICERO >> Last year Hamilton's softball team used an 11-run first inning to post a lopsided victory over Heuvelton to advance to the state semifinal.

This year the teams met for a rematch and the story was a little bit different but the result was the same as the Emerald Knights broke a scoreless tie with a six-run fifth inning en route to a 14-0 victory over the Bulldogs.

"Coach (Bill Dowsland) told us he felt like that inning we were going to start scoring and we proved him right," said Kendall Rusch.

The six-run outburst was more than enough for pitcher Becca Rogers, who surrendered only five hits while striking out 12 in the victory. She also had a big game at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double and four runs batted in. Rusch had two hits as well, driving in three runs while fellow senior Kelby Watkins also had a pair of hits and drove in two runs.

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Starter Alexis Weidner matched Rogers zero-for-zero through the first four innings for the Section X champions, although she did get into trouble in the top of the second. The Emerald Knights loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Cydnee Wendt and Caitlyn Purdy and a walk by Kendall Rusch but Weidner recovered to strike out Ashlee Prentice and Hayden Nolan before uncorking a wild pitch to Jess Welsh. Wendt tried to score from third but catcher Hannah Thornhill threw her out at the plate to end the inning.

Heuvelton then threatened to take the lead in the bottom of the frame when Thornhill led off with a triple over Purdy's head in center field. Rogers struck out Paige McCormick before Abbey Basford hit a hard ground ball to Welsh at third. She tagged Thornhill out before the Bulldogs' catcher could get back to the base to record the second out. Rogers then froze Abby Williams with strike three to end the inning.

"It was just my instinct," said Welsh. "It was big. It kept us going on defense."

Both pitchers cruised through the next two innings before the Bulldogs had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Alexis Sawyer started the frame with an infield single and Thornhill found a hole between Welsh and the third base line for another single. McCormick bunted the runners over to second and third to bring Basford to the plate. Rogers bore down, striking Basford out and retiring Williams on a ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

The Emerald Knights finally broke through in the top of the fifth with some help from the Bulldogs. Weidner quickly retired the first two batters before Welsh reached on a throwing error by Logan Tallman at shortstop. Lauren Weeks worked a walk before Rogers hit a soft fly ball over the infield to plate Welsh. Watkins opened the floodgates by lining a two-run single to right field, extending the lead to 3-0. Weidner again had a chance to get out of the inning but a dropped fly ball by Williams in right field further extended the inning. Purdy then walked to load the bases again for Hamilton and Rusch blooped a single into right field, scoring two more and extending the lead to 5-0. Prentice, who led off the inning, grounded an RBI single back up the middle before Nolan struck out to end the inning.

"It's just, you have a sense," said Dowsland of expecting his team to break through in that inning. "I've been around this game a long time. We were making contact, it's just a matter of staying patient and making adjustments. They made the adjustments and that's a testament to the players."

Rogers set the Heuvelton side down in order in the bottom of the fifth before Hamilton extended the lead in the top of the sixth. Weidner retired Welsh and Rogers around a walk to Lauren Weeks to start the inning. Watkins hit a two-out single to send Weeks to third and then stole second. Wendt drew a walk to load the bases for Purdy who came through with a two-run single. Rusch followed with an RBI single of her own that moved Wendt to third. The senior then stole second and Wendt came in when Thornhill tried to catch Rusch at second. Weidner finally got out of the frame when Prentice grounded out to third.

Heuvelton had its last good scoring chance in the bottom of the sixth when Sawyer hit a one-out infield single that Welsh couldn't handle on a diving attempt. Hamilton fans held their breaths as the third baseman held her wrist after the play but she was able to finish the game in pain. Hannah Thornhill followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with one out but Rogers struck out McCormick and Basford to end the threat.

Hamilton started the top of the seventh with singles by Nolan, Welsh and Weeks to load the bases for Rogers, who drove home all three on a double down the third-base line. She reached third on an error and scored the Emerald Knights' final run on a Wendt groundout. Rogers struck out the side around a two-out walk in the bottom of the frame to clinch the victory.

Hamilton will play Afton, the No. 1 team in the state, at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury.